Insulated bearing for revolving head ventilators



Jan. 3, 139.

R. G. FERRIS INSULATED BEARING FOR REVOLVING HEAD VENTILATOR$ Filed June 1, 19:57

Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES INSULATED BEARING FOR REVOLVING HEAD VENTILATORS Robert G. Ferris, Harvard, Ill., assignor to Starline Inc., Harvard, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 1, 1937, Serial No. 145,751

3 Claims.

Heretofore difficulty has been encountered in mounting revolving head ventilators. They are placed on the roof of a building to be ventilated so that the head is exposed to all the passing breezes and in winter is chilled to the temperature of the outside air.

The air passing out through the ventilator comes from the upper part of the building, usually a barn, and hence is the warmest air in the barn and is frequently humid. This humid air striking the cold head frequently causes the deposition of moisture thereon and this freezes producing a coating of frost and ice within the head. This coating often builds up until it interieres with the free rotation of the ventilator. As a result, the head can no longer swing freely to keep its back to the wind and as the wind shifts further may be actually facing the wind. When this occurs, the air within the barn no longer passes out through the ventilator, but cold air from outside is now driven down through the ventilator thoroughly chilling the building and head.

These and other objects as will hereinafter appear are accomplished by this invention which is fully described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the ventilator assembly;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the ventilating head and a portion of the base;

Fig. 3 is a partial enlarged section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a partial enlarged section on the line i-4 of Fig. 2.

The embodiment illustrated comprises a ventilator of the revolving head type having a base I!) of sheet metal adapted to fit over an opening on a flat roof. Extending inwardly from the upper portion of the base I!) are a series of horizontal members I l preferably four in number which are secured at their outer ends to a rim III on the base.

These members are preferably of channel construction with the end of the web of each channel turned inwardly at H as shown in Fig. 4. These members are ofiset from each other so as and inexpensive mounting for such a revolving to form a parallelogram E2 the sides of which are preferably substantially the diameter of a vertical rod or support l3. Each horizontal member thus abuts against another of this set of four at a point intermediate of its length, and the two are then secured together as by means of spot welds M.

A bottom plate l5 which is square in form is placed beneath these overlapping members and is secured thereto as by means of a series of spot welds IS. A plate I1 is similarly mounted above the intersection of these members and has a round hole through which passes the support l3, the latter being secured in place in any desired manner as by means of spot welds. This support rests upon the plate l5.

The revolving head is made up of a plate l8 bent into a general U-shape and a top plate l9 which has 2. depending flange 20 which overlaps the plate I8 and is secured thereto in any desired manner as by spot welds.

A cup shaped member 2| (Fig. 3) extends through an opening Ill in the plate I9 and has a flange 22 which prevents it passing therethrough.

A bearing 23 preferably of cylindrical form is housed within the member 2| so as to be positioned thereby. This bearing is made of a heat insulating material such as a hard close-grained Wood like maple impregnated with linseed oil and lubricating oil. It has a hole 24 in which is 10- cated a steel ball 25 against which bears the upper end of the rod l3. At the same time the rod is journaled in the hole 24. It will be observed that the bottom of the bearing 23 is cupped as at 23 so as to present an outer edge 23 toward which any condensed moisture would tend to run, thereby leading the drip away from the rod l3.

The head is provided with a cross bar 26 which at each end extends through the plate and is secured by means of spot welds or the like to an angle iron 21 which in turn is similarly secured to the bottom of the plate l8.

The bar 26 is provided with a central opening in which is located an eyelet 28 (Fig. 3), preferably of brass, since brass on steel provides a good bearing for such purposes even though little or no lubricant is present which has a sliding fit on the rod l 3 so as to form a bearing. This together with the bearing 23 serves to maintain the revolving head in an upright position, but one wherein it is free to move with a minimum of friction.

After assembly, a cotter pin 13 is inserted through a hole in the rod it so as to prevent the revolving head from being lifted ofi the rod.

A vane 29 is extended upwardly from the top of the revolving head and is presented to the wind so that it serves at all times to keep the revolving head turned away from the direction from which the wind is coming.

The air outlet is preferably rectangular in form, as shown in Fig. 1, and is covered by means of a suitable wire netting or grating 30 so as to keep birds from flying down into the barn.

In sub-zero weather the outer portions of the revolving head including the plate [9 and the cup member 2| become very cold While the rod I3 is constantly bathed with the warm air from the top of the barn which flows out of it. This air is often quite humid, particularly when the barn is used to house livestock, and consequently moisture tends to be deposited on the cold surfaces exposed to the outer air. In order to reduce this condensation of moisture to a. minimum, I have provided an insulating bearing 23 the interior of which is constantly warmed by the relatively warm rod 13 while its upper outer surfaces are cooled by the cup 2|. Owing to its insulating properties, however, relatively little moisture is condensed on the bearing 23, and substantially none within that portion of the bearing which comes in contact with the rod 13. Exhaustive tests have shown that there is substantially no tendency for moisture to deposit at any point near the rod I3, and even under the most adverse conditions, it is found that the bearing will not freeze or stick.

WhileI have shownand described but a single embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a revolving head ventilator, a hollow base, a vertically extending rod carried by the base, a revolving head having a bearing at its upper end adapted to fit over the upper end of the rod, a cross member at the bottom of the head, and a second bearing carried by the cross member and surrounding the lower portion of the rod, the first bearing being composed of wood impregnated with linseed oil, the lower surface of said first bearing sloping outwardly so as to cause any liquid to drain away from the rod.

2. In a revolving head ventilator, a hollow base, a vertically extending rod carried by the base, a revolving head having a bearing at its upper end adapted to fit over the upper end of the rod, a cross member at the bottom of the head, and a second bearing carried by the cross member and surrounding the lower portion of the rod, the first bearing being of insulating material composed of impregnated wood, said bearing having an upwardly extending vertical bore therein, and a ball located in said bore adapted to bear on the center of the shaft for supporting the revolving head.

3. In a revolving head ventilator, a hollow base, a vertically extending rod carried by the base, a revolving head having a hearing at its upper end adapted to fit over the upper end of the rod, a cross member at the bottom of the head, and a second bearing carried by the cross member and surrounding the lower portion of the rod, the first bearing being composed of wood impregnated with linseed oil, the lower surface of said first bearing sloping outwardly so as to cause any liquid to drain away from the rod, and a cup member enclosing the first bearing and extending through an opening in the head.

ROBERT G. FERRIS. 

